Gantz - IGN
- 12/17/2007
- James Musgrove
- 12/19/07
- click here
"Why can't all series box sets be this cool?"
"The ultimate guilty pleasure."
December 17, 2007 - Don't watch this with your grandmother! Seriously.
Such a warning is apropos for many anime series, but Gantz truly pushes the envelope while just toeing the line between artistic and tasteless. What begins with a hapless boy named Kei being run over by an oncoming subway train ends up becoming a violent, visceral, and oddly visionary trip through the darker side of human behavior, and a possible alternative to life after death. While it isn't the first series to open with the death of the main character, what comes from that death scene is far different than anything Yusuke Urameshi (of Yu Yu Hakusho fame) ever dreamed of. Awakening in a small room filled with men and women of all ages, all equally disoriented and confused, Kei and his formerly deceased companions are introduced to a bizarre being known as The Gantz -- a large black ball that sings in an annoying nasal voice. The Gantz, for reasons unknown to them at first, sends them on brutal and mostly nonsensical missions all for a chance to be restored to their former lives.
English voice acting is among the finest of the genre. Chris Ayres is phenomenal as Kei, and considering this was one of his early works with ADV, that's saying something. The darkly humorous and bleak script fits wonderfully with the musical score and together, they create a mood that is unlike any other. Through it all, Gantz never falters in the vision and storyline that it sets out to tell. While the ending may confuse some and disappoint others, the entire 26-episode series is completely satisfying and stands as many a fan's ultimate guilty pleasure. I know its one of mine.
Score: 9 out of 10
Posted on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 (Archive on Friday, January 18, 2008)